Google's Chinese joint venture has passed the required yearly check.

Google close to China mapping license

谷歌在華合資公司通過年檢

Google Inc. is one step closer to obtaining a license to operate its mapping service in China as its Chinese joint venture has passed an annual government review, Beijing Business Today reported Monday.

Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co., the Chinese joint venture that operates Google Maps in the country, has passed a yearly check required by authorities, the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce said in a statement on its Web site.

Established in June 2007 with registered capital of 5 million yuan, Beijing Guxiang is a 50-50 venture between Google and Chinese classified website Ganji.com.

The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (SBSM) relaxed its rules on foreign online mapping service companies on June 3, allowing them to engage in joint ventures to provide the service. But foreign investors are not permitted to hold a majority stake in such ventures.

On June 14, a SBSM official confirmed they had received Beijing Guxiang's application to offer an online mapping service in China and were examining the application.

Since last year, mapping service providers are required to apply for a license to operate in China. By mid-February this year, the SBSM had issued Internet mapping licenses to 105 Web sites.